PENSIONERS enjoyed lunch at 10 Downing Street with the stars from Strictly Come Dancing and the Prime Minister to celebrate a campaign to tackle loneliness.

The three Easingwold pensioners ¬– Jeanne and Barry Fletcher and Micky Johnson –were among a group of 20 who travelled down from Yorkshire.

They had been invited to the party by David Cameron to highlight the issue of loneliness and great examples of community work to combat it.

Mr and Mrs Fletcher and Mrs Johnson are regulars at the Friendship lunches started earlier this year at the Durham Ox pub near Easingwold to bring isolated pensioners together.

They have been so popular that lunches have also been held at other pubs in the Provenance Inns group, including the Black Bull at Moulton, near Richmond, and the Carpenters Arms, near Thirsk.

The party lunch was served up in the state dining room at No 10. To the surprise of the guests, the stars of Strictly Come Dancing arrived, with Aljaz Skorjanec demonstrating a fox-trot and Kevin Clifton taking guests for a twirl on the dance floor.

The party was also joined by Anton du Bec and his TV dance partner Katie Derham as well as the MPs for Ryedale and Richmond, Kevin Hollinrake and Rishi Sunak.

Sasha Ibbotson, of the Durham Ox, said: “We wanted to do something practical. Loneliness can be a real problem in country districts and the lunches at the Durham Ox really took off which is why we extended the concept to the other Provenance Inns.”

Mr Hollinrake, who helped launch the first Friendship lunch, said: “I am delighted the lunches have been recognised for the goodwill they bring."